In a special called meeting on Monday, Atlanta Public Schools voted to maintain the current millage rate of 20.500, with a vote of 5-0 with four board members not in attendance. Chief Financial Officer Lisa Bracken’s overview of the 2024 tax digest stressed that despite keeping the millage rate the same, due to increased property […]
Category: Atlanta Public Schools
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Dr. Danielle Battle to take the helm of Atlanta Public Schools
This past week, Atlanta Public Schools voted to approve Dr. Danielle Battle as interim superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. This comes after Board Chairman, Eshe Collins, announced in July that Dr. Herring’s contract would not be extended in June. “We appreciate Dr. Herring for her leadership, vision, and service to APS, especially during an unprecedented […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Thousands of families expected at APS Back to School Bash
ATLANTA – This Saturday, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host up to 11,000 families for its annual Back to School Bash at the Georgia World Congress Center in Halls C1 and C2. At this annual event, families will be able to get free backpacks filled with school supplies, educational and healthcare resources, fun activities, and giveaways. […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Board of Education begins search for new superintendent
The Atlanta Board of Education has officially announced plans to begin the search for a new superintendent. This comes after the announcement this past June to replace the current Superintendent, Dr. Lisa Herring, after announcing they would not be extending her contract beyond June 2024. The high-level timeline starts in July 2023 with the Board […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools Adopts Final Version of FY2024 Budget
The Atlanta Board of Education approved the final version of Atlanta Public School’s (APS) FY2024 Budget in a monthly board meeting on June 5. The start of the meeting included a work session with a presentation of the final recommendation of the budget by Dr. Lisa Bracken, APS’s Cheif Financial Officer. Bracken recognized several updates […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education will not extend the superintendent contract past 2024
In an announcement on Friday, the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education announced their decision not to extend the contract of superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring beyond June 30, 2024. In a prepared statement, the board reiterated their commitment to students, families, and employees of Atlanta Public Schools and the “laser focus on student achievement through […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Cobb Fulton and APS schools propose pay raises for employees in the 2023-2024 budgets
As Cobb County Schools, Fulton County Schools, and Atlanta Public Schools (APS)work to adopt their tentative 2023-2024 budgets, employee pay raises are at the front of any compensation talks. The Cobb County school board presented its tentative budget for 2024 on April 13. The budget includes a 7.5% pay raise for all non-temporary employees. It […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools to hold a renaming committee meeting for BEST Academy
ATLANTA- The BEST Academy Renaming Committee of the Atlanta Board of Education will be holding a meeting on Monday, May 15th, at 5:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to gather input from students, staff, parents, and members of the community to provide a recommendation to the Atlanta Board of Education. If you wish […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools drops plans for redistricting
In a communication to parents and staff on Wednesday, Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring shelved the potential rezoning plans for the Midtown and Maynard Jackson cluster. This comes after 200 students at Midtown High School staged a peaceful protest last Friday after accusing the district of unfairly targeting 200 black students and sending them […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools offers telehealth services to students
This year, Atlanta Public Schools spent $500,000 in its partnership with Hazel Health to provide healthcare services for its students at no cost to families. A press release from Hazel Health regarding the partnership reads, “A school health representative can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while your child is at […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Petition calls for immediate change in Atlanta Public Schools’ leadership
Over 700 people have signed a petition demanding an “immediate” change in Atlanta Public Schools (APS) leadership. A Change.org account titled Transparency Now started the petition, expressing concerns with the direction of the current APS Superintendent, Dr. Lsia Herring, and the Senior Cabinet. “Atlanta Public School’s senior leaders have failed our students, teachers, and staff […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Evolv Technology answers questions about weapon detection systems in APS schools
When the newsroom read about the partnership between Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and Evolv Technology for school safety, We were interested in just what technology Evolv would bring to the schools and why. We sat down with the people at Evolv to answer some questions about its partnership with APS, and these were their answers. […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools presents Mission Possible: APS 2036 in State of The District
Atlanta Public Schools (APS) held its 150th annual State of The District for 2023 at Illuminarium Atlanta. The presentation was also streamed on Facebook live for public viewing. The lights from the Illuminarium building with the student showcase added to the State of the District’s futuristic theme: Mission Possible: APS 2036. Dr. Lisa Herring, the […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools now using high-tech weapon detection systems in all middle and high Schools
Evolv Technology has announced its partnership with Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to begin using its weapon-detection systems in 15 middle schools and 21 high schools across the district. According to a press release from Evolv about the partnership, this came together after the volume of students arriving simultaneously at these schools made it difficult for […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Jessica Johnson sworn in to fill vacant Atlanta Public Schools Board seat
The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education unanimously elected appointee Jessica Johnson to At-Large Seat 9 during a special meeting on Jan. 9, 2023. Her swearing-in means that all seats of the Atlanta school board are held by women. Johnson will serve the remaining year of the former board member Jason Esteves’ term. Esteves was […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Q&A with Atlanta Public Schools seat nine vacancy nominee Jessica Johnson
This Wednesday, the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education nominated Jessica Johnson, a local entrepreneur and executive director of The Scholarship Academy, to fill the At-Large Seat 9 vacancy left by former board member Jason Esteves when he was elected to the Georgia State Senate in November 2022. The Atlanta Board of Education will hold […]
Posted inPolicy
Atlanta City Council approves new gun safety legislation
The Atlanta City Council approved new gun safety legislation during their Jan. 3, 2022 meeting. The resolution, 22-R-4798, requests the mayor’s Office of Violence Reduction and the Atlanta Police Department to develop a program to provide firearm safety storage (lockboxes) for free to qualifying Atlanta residents. The resolution was proposed by council member Antonio Lewis. […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Board of Education recommends Jessica Johnson for seat 9 vacancy
The Atlanta Board of Education recommended Jessica Johnson to fill the board’s At-Large Seat 9 vacancy on Jan. 4, 2023. The seat’s new occupant will serve the final year of the previous seat occupant, Jason Esteves’, term. Esteves was required to resign from the seat at the end of December after being elected to the […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Ciena and Digital Promise team up with three Atlanta Public Schools to provide learning opportunities to students
Three Atlanta Public Schools have been awarded a $45,000 grant to provide digital tools and resources to engage students in the Ciena Solutions Challenge. As a result, students from Benjamin E. Mays High School, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, and B.E.S.T. Academy will solve real-world problems identified in the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals that impact […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
New principal named at Howard Middle School
On Monday, Atlanta Public Schools announced that Tekeshia Hollis had been named as the new principal of David T. Howard Middle School. Pending board approval, Hollis will assume the new role on January 17, 2023. Hollis currently serves as an administrator at Sylvan Middle School in the Carver cluster. Hollis brings 18 years of experience […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Midtown High School evacuated after threats
ATLANTA- School officials have evacuated Midtown High school students and staff to Piedmont Park as the building is being searched. In an email sent from Principal Dr. Betsy Bockman on Thursday, parents were assured that their students are “fine.” In follow-up Facebook posts, the school indicated that there had been a called-in threat and plan […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools names four finalists for at-large seat 9 vacancy
ATLANTA- Atlanta Public Schools has announced four finalists for the individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term for At-Large Seat 9, to be vacated by Jason Esteves on December 31, 2022. The candidates are: Stephanie Flowers Jessica Johnson Nkoyo Effiong Lewis John Ramseur The at-large seat was held by Jason Esteves, who won […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Atlanta Public Schools names new elementary school
ATLANTA- At Monday’s Atlanta Board of Education meeting, the board recommended that the newest school in the Midtown Cluster be named Virginia-Highland Elementary School. This naming comes after the initial offer for the principal selected to lead the schools was rescinded. This school will house more than 850 students attending Mary Lin, Morningside, and Springdale […]
Posted inAtlanta Public Schools
Google and Big Brothers Big Sister of Metro Atlanta partner with Mays High School
Officials from Google and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta were at Mays High School on Friday to announce and celebrate a new partnership and investment Google is making into the school and its students through mentorship and technological infrastructure investments. The event featured a welcome video by comedian, Mays graduate, and “Wild ‘N […]